KARACHI, Jan 4: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has directed the concerned officials to redesign all routes of public transport in the city keeping in view both the existing and future requirements.

He was presiding over a high-level meeting held at the Governor’s House on Wednesday to review the traffic and public transport issues.

Home Minister Rauf Siddiqui, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Local Government Waseem Akhtar, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, IG Jehangir Mirza, and officials of concerned departments and cantonment boards attended the meeting.

Dr Ibad stressed on revamping the entire system to ensure a smooth flow of traffic and provision of modern transport facilities to citizens.

He ordered necessary steps for setting up the Traffic Management Board and said that the same be notified at the earliest.

The governor emphasized on the removal of encroachments and other hurdles that hampered the smooth flow of traffic, and suggested carving out more ways for approaching hospitals. for approaching the hospitals.

As regards the establishment of a parking plaza, the governor asked for identifying suitable places in different parts of the city and stressed on early steps for the purpose. The city nazim briefed the meeting about the measures taken so far by the city government in this respect, and said that tenders had been invited for establishing three parking plazas in the city.

The meeting discussed various measures for regulating traffic on the road leading to Jinnah Hospital and providing an easy access to the facility.

It was decided to introduce three different routes to the JPMC — a road adjacent to the NICVD, anther one which runs behind the Aisha Bawani School and the Rafiqui Shaheed Road which would be widened. The work on these roads would be completed by June this year.

The city nazim told the governor that turning the Jinnah Hospital roundabout a signal-free route was planned.

Dr Ibad also stressed on early implementation of re-routing plan for Lucky Star, M. A. Jinnah Road and I. I. Chundrigar Road, besides improving the traffic flow at Regal Chowk and Empress Market.

He was briefed on a beautification plan for I. I. Chundrigar Road and the traffic arrangement made at Quaidabad and Sohrab Goth in view of cattle market set up on the occasion of Eidul Azha.

The city nazim informed the meeting that three routes had been prescribed for different parts of the city for transporting sacrificial animals while the Northern Bypass route would be an alternative for heavy vehicles.

The meeting decided to start work on the Nizami Road project for ensuring a smooth flow of traffic in Lines Area and Shahrah-i-Quaideen and an alternative road for traffic between the National Bank Stadium and Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s mausoleum.

The governor issued directives for beautifying the surrounding areas of flyovers on a priority basis and improving conditions in the residential areas of police personnel.

He told the meeting that certain investors had shown their willingness to build three five-star hotels in the city.—PPI